Public hospitals in Istanbul operated by Türkiye’s Ministry of Health have been outfitted with seismic isolator systems to maintain critical healthcare services during earthquakes, the Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate said.
Seismic isolators have been activated in eight hospitals across the city. A total of 5,317 isolators are currently in use, reducing the interaction between the ground and the building structures and minimizing the impact of seismic activity.
Hospitals where seismic isolators have been installed include Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital with 2,068 isolators, Kartal Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital with 855 isolators, and Pendik Prof. Dr. Asaf Ataseven Hospital with 827 isolators. Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın City Hospital and Okmeydanı Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital each have 503 isolators.
The annex buildings of Çekmeköy State Hospital, Esenyurt State Hospital and Bağcılar Training and Research Hospital have also been reinforced. The Esenyurt annex is equipped with 198 isolators, Bağcılar with 190 and Çekmeköy with 173.
The recent additions brought the total number of public hospitals in Istanbul utilizing seismic isolators to eight. Construction projects continue across the city, with foundation work underway at Sancaktepe City Hospital, where 1,503 isolators are planned, and at the annex building of Avcılar State Hospital, where 93 isolators are scheduled for installation.
Site installation has been completed at Bayrampaşa State Hospital, which is expected to house 277 isolators. Archaeological excavation work is ongoing at the new construction site of Haseki Training and Research Hospital.
Officials said the seismic systems operated successfully during the 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the Marmara Sea off Silivri on April 23. Critical units such as operating rooms, intensive care units and emergency departments continued to function without interruption, and security camera footage showed minimal movement inside the facilities despite strong shaking outside.
Istanbul Provincial Health Director Assoc. Prof. Abdullah Emre Güner said seismic isolators have been incorporated into many of Istanbul’s healthcare facilities, particularly city hospitals. “Istanbul is a city at significant risk for earthquakes,” Güner said.
“We must align our healthcare infrastructure with this reality. Seismic isolators allow sensitive units, including intensive care, operating rooms and delivery rooms, to remain operational during seismic events,” he added.
“By isolating the movement transferred to the building, the system increases the safety of patients and healthcare workers while ensuring continuity of services. We observed the system’s effective performance during the recent earthquake. This technology protects both human lives and healthcare services,” he concluded.
Seismic isolator systems are part of broader efforts to strengthen the city’s healthcare infrastructure amid ongoing earthquake preparedness initiatives.